An effective environmental monitoring program helps you monitor your facilities and equipment, and identifies potential problem areas that can be addressed before it’s too late. Here, we’ve compiled a few tips on how to launch a monitoring program in the food industry.
Start by putting together a team. Ideally, this should be a cross-functional team that includes representatives from food safety and quality assurance, the laboratory, operations and facility management, sanitation, maintenance/engineering, and even brand owners. Good communication among key stakeholders is essential.
Conduct a risk assessment to identify which environmental pathogen risks you are trying to control. Considerations include the type of food being produced, the manufacturing process, and the intended or expected use of the food. Guidance from regulatory agencies and industry organizations can help identify these hazards. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) also provide tools for analyzing food safety risks.
Obtain a floor plan for your facility to understand the layout and identify areas you need to sample. Mapping sampling locations to environmental sampling zones (defined based on relative potential for contamination of the finished product) will help define your sampling plan. Sampling is typically performed on both food-contact surfaces (e.g., slicers, peelers, conveyor belts, work tables, etc.) and non-food-contact surfaces (e.g., floors, walls, sinks, carts, floor mats, drains, etc.), including niches for bacterial growth and transfer points.
In most countries and regions, sampling locations in processing facilities are assigned to one of four zones (see Figure 1), where Zone 1 represents food contact surfaces (i.e., surfaces that are in direct contact with an exposed ready-to-eat (RTE) food product) and Zone 4 represents areas outside the RTE zone (such as changing rooms and loading docks).
Review past environmental monitoring data from the last 4–5 years, including results from ATP, indicator, and/or pathogen tests, and map them to the facility to identify potential problem areas.
Mark potential sampling locations on the floor plan.
Determine the sampling frequency. This can range from daily or several times a day to weekly, or even monthly in very small operations. Sampling locations are usually predetermined but can be rotated randomly so that not all locations are sampled every time. For example, only 15 of 30 predetermined locations may be sampled each time (with replacement). Sampling frequency and number of samples should be determined using a risk-based approach (e.g., 1 sample per 100 m²).
Determine the sampling time. For example, verification sampling usually takes place during processing (at least three to four hours after processing begins). Days should be selected at random. By using a random number generator, you can avoid shifting the sampling time to more convenient or less hectic days when positive results are less likely to occur.
Develop a flowchart or a plan for corrective actions. A written plan should be prepared before samples are taken, so that you know how to respond to positive results. You should not take samples until you know what to do with positive results.
Corrective actions based on positive samples should be plant-specific and may vary depending on the location or sampling zone where the positive result was found. Positive samples should be followed up with further investigations and root cause analyses. Corrective actions should go beyond intensified cleaning and sanitation and may include:
- Cleaning and sanitation procedures and revised sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs)
- Maintenance and an improved preventive maintenance program
- Modified or replaced equipment
- Temporary closure of problem areas
- Revised main cleaning schedule
Design and implement a record-keeping system. Organize the test results in one place (a folder, binder, or preferably electronically). Documentation of corrections should also be kept in the same place.
Regularly evaluate the program and develop a validation plan.
Interested in learning more about environmental monitoring? Start by downloading 3M’s guide on the topic. You’re also welcome to contact us to let us know what you need and any questions you may have.